Federalism at the Margins of the Ethiopian State: The Lived Experience of the Majang People By Seyoum Mesfin Seyoum A Dissertation Submitted to ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Federal Studies College of Law and Governance, Center for Federal Studies Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia June 2015 Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgement ......................................................................................................................... ix List of Acronyms .......................................................................................................................... xii List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. xiv List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... xvi Chapter 1 ......................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 The Political Context: From a Unitarian to a Federal State .......................................................... 1 1.2 The Zonal Setting: Description of the Main Study area................................................................ 4 1.3 Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................................. 17 1.4 Literature Review: The Main Tents of the Study and State of Research .......................................... 20 1.4.1 The Majang and their Neighbors ............................................................................................... 21 1.4.2 Majang, their land and Commercial Farming ............................................................................ 23 1.4.3 Inter-regional Migration and the Dynamics of Inter-ethnic relations ........................................ 25 1.5 Significance of the Study .................................................................................................................. 29 1.6 Methodology and Methods of Inquiry .............................................................................................. 34 1.7 Scope and Limitation of the Study .................................................................................................... 44 1.8 Ethical Questions and Considerations ............................................................................................... 45 1.9 Organization and Rationale of Chapters ........................................................................................... 46 Chapter 2 ....................................................................................................................................... 50 Analytical Framework: Multicultural Federalism and Minority Rights ....................................... 50 2.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 50 2.2 Federalism and the Accommodation of Diversity: Situating the Research Problematic in the Federalism Discourses ............................................................................................................................ 50 2.3 Federalism and the Accommodation of Minorities in Ethiopia ........................................................ 54 2.4 Summary and Conclusions................................................................................................................ 74 Chapter 3 ....................................................................................................................................... 77 Majang Reminiscences of Exodus, Oppression and Land Alienation .......................................... 77 3.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 77 i | Page 3.2 Majang History of Exodus ................................................................................................................ 78 3.3 Majang and their relation with the State and their Neighbors .......................................................... 87 3.3.1 Slave Raiding ............................................................................................................................. 87 3.3.2 Oppression ................................................................................................................................. 91 3.3.3 Land Alienation ......................................................................................................................... 97 3.4 Factors for Majang Vulnerability to External Influences ............................................................... 106 3.5 Summary and Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 108 Chapter 4 ..................................................................................................................................... 109 The Majang in Federal Ethiopia: Political Empowerment and its Limits .................................. 109 4.1 Introduction: Majang encounter with the EPRDF .......................................................................... 109 4.2 Aspects of Empowerment ............................................................................................................... 114 4.3 Limits of Empowerment ................................................................................................................. 118 4.3.1 Territorial Fragmentation ......................................................................................................... 118 4.3.2 Territorial Fragmentation: Majang Response .......................................................................... 126 4.3.3 Ramifications of Territorial Fragmentation: Local Tyranny .................................................... 140 4.3.4 Continued Local Tyranny and ‘Shekicho Irredentism’: The Third Shekicho-Majang/Sheko Conflict ............................................................................................................................................. 150 4.3.5 Majang Experience of Local Tyranny in Gambella region ...................................................... 159 4.3.6 Majang Response ..................................................................................................................... 167 4.4 Summary and Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 178 Chapter 5 ..................................................................................................................................... 183 The Majang and New Forms of Insecurity: The Influx of Highlanders ..................................... 183 5.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 183 5.2 Highlanders Migration to Majangland: An Overview .................................................................... 184 5.2.1 The Imperial Period (1889-1974) ............................................................................................ 185 5.2.2 The Derg Period (1974-1991) .................................................................................................. 186 5.2.3 Post-1991 Period ...................................................................................................................... 186 5.3 Processes of Settlement and Land Acquisition ............................................................................... 195 5.3.1 Acquisition of Farmland .......................................................................................................... 195 5.3.2 Social Relationship with the Indigenous Community .............................................................. 205 5.4 The Magnitude and Quandary of Migration and Land Acquisition ................................................ 215 5.4.1 Tenure Insecurity ..................................................................................................................... 215 ii | Page 5.4.2 The Ecological Damage and Livelihood Impacts .................................................................... 224 5.4.3 Identity and Social Crisis ......................................................................................................... 229 5.4.4 Political and Social issues: Fear of Highlanders’ Domination ................................................. 235 5.5 Summary and Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 238 Chapter 6 ..................................................................................................................................... 242 The Majang and New Forms of Insecurity: The Advance of Mechanized Commercial Agriculture ..................................................................................................................................................... 242 6.1 Introduction